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New ambassadors in Belgrade give letters of credence

BELGRADE - Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic received on Thursday letters of credence from new ambassadors of Albania, Poland, Latvia, Oman, Namibia, who conveyed the desire of their countries to strengthen bilateral and economic relations even further.

President Nikolic with ambassador of Albania

When presenting the credentials at the Palace of Serbia, new Albanian Ambassador Ilir Bocka noted that relations between the two countries and peoples are developing in a dynamic direction at the moment.

I will effectively contribute to strengthening cooperation that brings us closer together and makes us feel as closer neighbors when tackling challenges facing our countries on the path toward joining the European family, Bocka said.

The Serbian president underscored that Serbia wants good relations with Albania, a respectable neighbor and regional partner.

“Serbia-Albania relations are a key to the stability of the entire region and an important element of further progress along the road toward EU membership, which both countries aspire to,” Nikolic said.

When giving the letter of credence to President Nikolic, new Polish Ambassador Aleksander Checko said that Serbia could learn a lot from his country's experience along the EU path.

Poland completed the EU accession process ten years ago. That was a difficult process, but Poland's experiences along the path could help you avoid the same mistakes, Checko said in Serbian.

He noted that relations between the two countries and peoples have always been excellent and friendly, and underlined that nothing will change in that respect.

President Nikolic said that it is Serbia's desire and commitment to foster and further improve relations with Poland, with which it is traditionally bound by friendship, in the interest of both countries, primarily in the field of economy.

The president said that Serbia highly appreciates Warsaw's support in the EU integration process.

New Latvian Ambassador Ivars Pundurs said that the EU enlargement process still has a prominent place on the agenda of his country's EU Presidency in the first half of 2015.

The recent progress that the Serbian government has achieved in meeting the EU requirements, including the dialogue with Pristina, deserves huge praise, and must be recognized with the successful entry process, Pundurs said.

President Nikolic said that Serbia wants to improve relations with Latvia even further, and encourage comprehensive cooperation to the benefit of both countries.

“We hope that your country will continue offering active assistance and understanding for Serbia's readiness to go further along the path of EU integration, especially when it assumes the EU Presidency at the beginning of 2015,” Nikolic said.

The Serbian president received the credentials of the new Ambassadors of Oman and Namibia in Belgrade, Badr bin Mohammad bin Zaher Al-Hinai and Simon Madjumo Maruta, respectively, and he agreed with them that there are unused opportunities to improve economic cooperation.

The new non-residential ambassador of Oman to Serbia, with headquarters in Vienna, said that his priority would be to work to develop the strongest possible bilateral ties for mutual benefit of both nations.

“Areas of our interest are already diverse, and our desire is for them to expand - from economic investments to military and scientific cooperation and from cultural exchanges to cooperation in the fields of medicine and education,” said Ambassador Al-Hinai.

President Nikolic said that there are many unused opportunities for strengthening cooperation with Oman in the areas of agriculture, construction and health-care, and in the implementation of projects of oil and chemical industries.

The new Namibia's ambassador to Serbia, also on non-residential basis with headquarters in Vienna, conveyed to President Nikolic the desire of his country to improve bilateral relations with Serbia.

Ambassador Maruta said that his country wants to improve trade with Serbia to the mutual benefit of both countries.

President Nikolic said that relations between Serbia and Namibia are “an example of honest and well-meaning relations and cooperation” and pointed to the possibility of cooperation in the field of transportation, professional development, agriculture, medicine, water management, pharmaceuticals, building sector and mining.